19 September, 2017
06 May, 2018
6 Michael Bramos (ITA)
06/02/2018
Game Report
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Umana Reyer Venezia heartbreak despite victory


VENEZIA (Basketball Champions League) - Umana Reyer Venezia pulled out a 92-91 win over Movistar Estudiantes but will not advance after other results did not go their way on Tuesday evening.

Omar Cook's three-pointer bounced off the rim as time expired to give Venezia the victory, whilst in the other contest AEK fought back from 14 points down with Dusan Sakota hitting the game-winning three over media Bayreuth to send AEK to the Round of 16 and ending Venezia's chances. 


"We controlled what we could," Venezia's Dominique Johnson said. "Got the win but unfortunately it wasn't enough for us to advance so now we're going to have to prepare for the Europe Cup."

Mike Bramos hit the huge go-ahead three with 1:22 remaining, which proved to be the winner, as Estudiantes would not convert another field goal, having fought back from 21 points down.

Johnson had 13 points to lead a balanced effort for Venezia that saw five players reach double-figures, with Mitchell Watt adding 12, and Mike Bramos and Marquez Haynes adding 11 each.

Venezia Head Coach Walter De Raffaele added: 

"We did our job. We won the game, a tough game against a great time, like all of this group but unfortunately it was not enough to advance in this, probably the tougher group, in the Basketball Champions League. We finished with winning 8 games so it's unbelievable to not go through. We keep going and we think to the next Cup and we will do our best as usual."

SIG Strasbourg, Banvit, AEK and Medi Bayreuth are the four teams that will advance from Group C, as a four-way tie saw Venezia and Estudiantes just miss out.

"We're mad because we make a huge comeback," Estudiantes' Dario Brizuela said. "At the end we had the game right there and we lost by one. We took the last shot and we're mad about the situation."

Sylven Landesburg had a game-high 25 points to lead Estudiantes, with Ludvig Hakanson having 14, and Omar Cook 13 and 8 assists. 

Venezia maintained their strong home record this season, pulling away in the second half of the opening period with a 17-8 run to finish the quarter through ball movement and getting the ball in the paint, leading 32-19 after one.

Austin Daye, who was the surprise catalyst early, continued to pour it on in the second and it was not long before the lead had ballooned to 20 points.

Estudiantes surged in the final five minutes of the half, behind the play of Vicedo, as he scored 10 points in the final 2:19 of the second to pull Estudiantes within 11 at the break.

Estudiantes carried their momentum into the third, using a 14-0 run behind the play of Landesburg, who hit a pull up three on the break to give the visitors their first lead of the game, 68-66 with under 5 minutes left in the quarter to set up a thrilling finish.

Neither team could gain separation from that point on, with multiple lead changes before Bramos coming up with big plays down the stretch.